The Sun God
by Murzo
Summary: They said Kings only feared the God's themselves, yet in one night the heavens would deliver a child who would change the destiny of a Kingdom. No one would ever truely know the origins of the child who became known as the The Sun God.
1. Chapter 1

**The Sun God**

Prologue:

The entrance to ancient cave crumbled under the hammering of the of men outside, lighting the cave and revealing a cylindrical stone object with a number of scrolls laying on top, the lead man entered the cave breathing heavily with excitement,

"I think we just found it!" he exclaimed, wiping the sweat and dirt from his forehead

"What is it David?" replied an excited colleague rushing to him, "Is it the scrolls?"

"Michael, we just hit the jackpot!" David said with a grin, as Michael arrived in the cave, "We need to get these to the preservation tent"

Michael's hand clasped over his mouth and ran slowly down his face as his eyes lit up at the sight of the scrolls, he looked at David as both men smiled at each other. They embraced each other in a celebratory fashion, jumping up and down letting out yells of joy.

Later in the preservation tent the scrolls had been laid out carefully to allow the men to inspect their findings, there were 30 scrolls in total all relating to the same person. The scrolls had been well preserved in their air-tight environment and all the writings were crystal clear which made the translation all the easier.

"Are they authentic?" David asked, biting the tip of his thumb

"It would appear so" Michael replied, inspecting one of the scrolls, "This seems to be the beginning of the collection"

"What does it say?" David replied curiously

Michael scanned across the first line of writings, "You will not read of this anywhere else in history as this is the only and sole remaining account of..." Michael replied as he smiled and looked up at David, "the Sun God"

"So the legends were true" David said with relief, as he looked into space pondering what this could mean for both men

"Well that's what we have to prove" Michael continued cautiously, "This could all be an ancient work of fiction for all we know"

"But the markings in Macedonia and Greece!" David rebuked

"That is only the beginning" Michael continued laboriously, "We have to be certain, one hundred percent!"

David sighed, "Well...what else does it say?"

Michael again scanned the scroll, "This seems to detail his birth or deliverance to a simple family..."

Chapter 1: Arrival

The cold night air stood still, the moon was stood strongly in the sky dimly highlighting the grooves within the desert sand. A lone man squatted close to his fire his arms outstretched to warm his hands as best he could, his eyes fixed on the dancing flames but his mind, his mind dreamed of being back home...with his wife. Far had he travelled in the hope that the holy men of the north could bless him so that the gods would one day gift he and his wife with a child but the holy men required a tribute so that the gods would favour him. His eye's narrowed with anger and frustration, he gave all that he could spare but this was not the gold and silver that the "gods" required, he had nothing more to offer and the holy men sent him away with nothing...not even the simplest of blessings.

He lifted a nearby stick and prodded at the fire stoking the flames and lay down onto his back and gazed into the depths of space hoping that one of the gods out that lay beyond the stars would hear his and his wife's prayers and grace them with the child they so desperately wanted. He sighed as he turned onto his side, his eyes once again fixed on the flames beside, why did he continue to pray? Years had he prayed for the same thing and he received no signs, no hope. His brow filled with the anger against them as he rolled back again to look into dark wilderness of the night sky,

"There are no Gods!", he shouted angrily, "I live by your rules all my life, yet you do not listen to the prayers of those who need you!"

"I, Jeremiah, hate you!"

His horse stirred getting to its feet,

"Settle down" Jeremiah firmly stated in the direction of the horse, checking in his anger.

The horse continued to neigh wildly and stand on its hind legs, jutting its front legs out forcefully. Jeremiah got to his feet and grabbed the reigns and brought his horse under control, rubbing and patting its neck gently. He looked around in the darkness trying to identify if there was anything else that could have spooked the horse other than his mad rantings at the heavens, his eyes narrowed a peering into the night,

"Nothing but the dark", he said to himself, as he continued to settle his horse.

The horse began to lower and shake its head repeatedly and tried to back away from Jeremiah, as he gripped the reigns tightly. He heard a faint rumbling that was getting closer and louder with every second, he looked around in all directions trying to pin point where it was coming from when he noticed a fire in the sky. Jeremiah looked on in fear as the fire drew nearer, why had he cursed the Gods he thought to himself, now they were coming for him. The horse suddenly stood on its hind legs once again sending Jeremiah crashing to ground.

Jeremiah let out a groan of pain as the rumble of the fire began to drown out the wild neighs of his horse, frozen with fear Jeremiah lay still as the fire shot passed him and crashed into a nearby dune. Breathing heavily he rolled onto his front and crawled up a slight incline, his head peering slightly over the summit to look at where the Gods fury had struck. He could only see the deep red hot glow of the tip of an object in the darkness, much like the glow of a sword being forged by a blacksmith. Jeremiah's lips trembled dreading what would happen next, a mechanical clank sounded from the object followed by a loud hum that drowned out everything else as it began to open. A bright light from the object inner structure pierced the darkness causing Jeremiah to turn away briefly as his eyes adjusted, the light was so white and intense it felt like it was bringing light to the entire desert.

"Please, do not harm me!" Jeremiah called out as he stood gingerly, holding out his hand to block the intense light

The hum began to die and the light dimmed as a new sound could now be heard coming from the object, Jeremiah's eyes widened as he could not believe his ears...a child's cry. He ran to stricken object and fell to his knees as he saw a child safely wrapped in a blanket, Jeremiah looked around confused as to what was happening,

"Let us get you to safety" he gently said to the child

He took the child lovingly in his arms and rushed him back to his camp fire setting him down gently and ran back to the object which had delivered the child to him and inspected the for anything that remained which could help him in discovering the source of this event. All he could find was a long crystal like object and he placed it in his pouch, there was also a metal object jutting out of the centre of the object. Jeremiah placed his hand on it and it slotted out, the dim lighting from the object faded completely out and it began to close. He ran back to the camp fire and knelt beside the fire, inspecting the metallic object now in his possession. There were strange markings on it, the like that he had never seen, Jeremiah sat back and ran his fingers over the markings and looked at the child laying quietly beside the fire. He tilted his head back and looked into the darkness, was this the Gods answer to his prayers?

"The Gods themselves have sent you" he quietly said with confidence, as his eyes fell back on the child's face, "I will keep you safe, I will love you like no other father can"

"I promise you that..." Jeremiah whispered laying his hand on the child's head "my son"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: A Home**

The morning sun burnt across the land, a woman worked alone scything at the wheat crops, collecting them and storing them in a nearby basket. She wiped the sweat from her brow and held her hand up, blocking the sun and casting a cooling shadow on her face, closing her eyes she took in a breath lost in her moments rest before starting back at the work she faced. Opening her eyes she saw a hazy object in the distance, as it drew nearer she recognized that it was her husband returning from his yearly journey to the holy men.

She waved with both arms, smiling, "Jeremiah!" she called out with glee

Her husband waved back from his horse, he couldn't wait to show the child to his wife, the child that they had both longed for. He drew up beside his wife and dismounted from the horse carefully, as she made a move to embrace him,

"Erin, my wife, wait" he softly said, as he laid his hand on the side of her face

"Please tell me they have finally granted us the favour of the Gods" Erin replied hopefully

"The Holy Men, the-they could not grant us what we sought" he replied solemnly, as the sadness he had seen so many times before tinged his wife's face, "but the Gods themselves have heard me this time"

His wife looked up wondering he could possibly mean, "What do you mean? What has happened?" she replied, as her husband smiled

He opened his cloak, to reveal a child laying quietly in his arm. He motioned the child to his wife as she took him in her arms holding him close, looking at her husband she replied,

"How Jeremiah?"

"It was in the desert, I resting last night thinking of all the times we have been turned away by the Holy Men and my anger got the better of me" he replied regretfully, "I cursed the Holy Men and I cursed the Gods they claim to server"

"Why?" she asked never knowing her husband act as he had described

"I could not face coming back to you once again, to tell you what you have been told every year before...that they would not bless us, that you would never know what it was like to hold a child of your own" he continued looking into his wife's eyes with the same love that he had done the first time they locked eyes, "It was in that moment of despair and anger, when I thought that those who we fear and respect the most had looked that us with blindness...it was then they answered"

"What are you saying Jeremiah?" she asked somewhat confused

Jeremiah placed both hands softly on either side of her face and smiled,

"The Gods sent this child for us" he answered with joy, "I have never seen anything like it, he was delivered in fire and light...and that sound, only a God could do such things my love...the-there is no other explanation"

Erin looked at the child, as he smiled back content in her arms,

"A child of the Gods" she said softly, "Why choose us? We are nothing but simple farmers"

"Perhaps that is exactly why" Jeremiah replied putting his arm around her, and looking on the child's face, "If we raise him he will learn what it means to be a good man, that to earn something you must work for it...that not all things are given to those who deserve it and to show those people the compassion they deserve"

Hearing the strength, warmth and virtue in her husbands words, Erin found the doubt that was in her slowly leave, love and a mothers instinct began to replace that uncertainty and doubt,

"What will we do if someone asks where he came from?" Erin replied fearful that if they went ahead with raising the child, one day someone would come along and take him from them, "I have been to village regularly...I have never shown any sign of being with child"

Jeremiah turned and looked into the distance thinking of what they could possibly say if anyone asked where the child came from,

"We will say that the child...that the child was my brothers" Jeremiah replied,

"But you do not have a brother", Erin continued, questioning his response

"I know but my family is not from around these parts, there will be nothing to disprove what we tell people" Jeremiah answered cautiously, "We will say that he was orphaned, that his mother died in birth and my brother murdered by a lowly beggar before the child's birth"

Jeremiah took the child and held him out in the morning light, inspecting his new son. Erin wrapped her arms around her husbands chest, kissing his shoulder as she rested her head on him. She smiled realizing that there was one more thing on which they had to decide, she stood on her toes bringing her mouth to his ear,

"So what are we to call him"

"I have no idea" Jeremiah laughed

"You said he arrived in light and fire" Erin replied, "What about Helios?"

"What do you think? Is it to be Helios?" Jeremiah playfully asked the child, the child smiled, "Helios it is then"

Erin looked on with a smile as Jeremiah span around with the child, a family at long last. A child of the Gods, what great future has those Gods planned for him? To give him to a family where he would have such humble beginnings, so many uneasy thoughts ran through her head but did it really matter? Look at the good the child had already brought to this world, the love and happiness she saw in Jeremiah was enough to convince her...truly this was the work of the Gods, they had listened and answered. She joined father and son and he wrapped his arm around her,

"A son of our own" Jeremiah beamed, looking down at his wife, "I see a great future for us"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: A Young Man**

12 years had passed from that night Helios arrived from the heavens, now a boy full of energy and happiness. As his parents first suspected when he was delivered to them he was no ordinary boy, blessed with the strength of many men and speeds that no living creature could match. This did not effect his parents love for the him, it made it all the more important that he knew right from wrong...that he would not become arrogant with that which has been given to him. These are the lessons that all children learn and it was all the more important that Helios understood and put into practise these lessons. His father made him work each day in the crops, not allowing him to use his gifts, he had to realise the struggle that was life and the sacrifices that must be made in order to sustain it.

He and his father were working in the fields, the boy silently carrying out his fathers instructions not complaining about being made to work on his birth date. Jeremiah smiled at the child,

"Go on" Jeremiah said kindly, motioning to his son to leave, "Go off and enjoy yourself"

"Thank you father" Helios replied smiling, disappearing in an instant

"Be careful!" Jeremiah called out in the direction of the path Helios had cut in his crops

"That boy will never learn" Erin said softly, walking towards her husband, "He is young and dreams only of life"

Jeremiah took his wife's hand,

"Would you have it any other way?" Jeremiah asked his wife as he kissed her

Helios ran to the mountainous cliffs that overlooked the entire land, there seemed to be no end in sight to world that surrounded him. Turning east he saw the Grand Fortress of King Ikranas, only a few times had he been there with his parents, so many people...on every corner there was another stall or person selling something different. In times of war four thousand men can line the great towering wall that surrounds it, no army had ever penetrated its core. The guardsmen and their pristine weapons, Helios imagined fighting in a great war...being a hero to the people of the land, making his parents proud. He fought imaginary enemies on the summit of the cliffs, making the actions of a swordsman...scything through the enemy hoards that his mind littered in front of him.

His playful antics were suddenly interrupted by screaming and shouting from the base of the mountain, Helios fell quickly to the ground laying on his front. He crawled the edge of the cliff and stared down at the skirmish below. A nomad and his family and been cornered against the cliffs base by a gang of desert riders, the riders pick off the weak...kill them and take what they can, living from one encounter to another. Helios counted 4 riders, he had ran too far and had no time to alert his father to help, only he could stop the bloodshed that was about to occur. He remembered his fathers warnings,

"You cannot reveal your gifts to anyone"

"If anyone found out about the things of which you are capable, they would look on you with fear...they may reject you because your different...there are some that may try to kill you!"

"Heed my words son, keep yourself safe, your gifts hidden"

Helios continued to look on at the events below, the nomad had grouped his wife and three children behind him, swinging wildly around with a wooden staff. The desert riders drew their swords, the leads riders horse stood on its hind legs and snorted and neighed menacingly. There was a conflict within Helios, from wanted to keep himself safe and do the right thing...those people below were going to be slaughtered unless he intervened. Helios closed his eyes briefly as further words from his father ran through his mind,

"Know right from wrong son because there will be a time I will not be there to guide or help you and you will have a choices to make"

"I hope to have taught you all that you need before that time but all I can tell you is to look in yourself and find the answers you need"

Helios' eyes opened, his face steely and resolute...he had found his answer, he would not let that family stand alone. He quickly got to his feet and took a few short steps back, he then ran and jumped off the cliffs edge falling into everything that his father feared...exposure. The desert riders had dismounted from their horses and were closing in around the family ready to kill, Helios landed between the family and the riders with a thunderous boom, kicking sand high into the air blinding both the nomad, his family and the riders. The riders stumbled around confused and dazed, Helios acted quick disarming the riders with his speed and throwing them against the cliffs face rendering them unconscious.

The sun stood directly behind Helios as the nomad and his family looked up, the sand and the sun combined to make Helios a dark blurry figure,

"Wh-Who are you?" the nomad asked gratefully

Helios turned away remaining quiet, heeding this fathers warnings to keep himself hidden and safe,

"Please, let me at least thank you" the nomad pleaded as he attempted to rub the sand from his eyes

"I do not require your thanks nomad, your lives are all that mattered" Helios replied strongly, "Take their horses, get your family to safety"

"But!" the nomad tried to reply but the stranger disappeared in front of his eyes

Helios watched safely from a distance as the nomad gathered his family onto the horses and led the safely in the direction of the Great Fortress. He looked up into the sky and breathed heavily, hoping that the nomad had not seen his face...that he would not come back looking for him, he turned and sped off back to his home. On his arrival home he caught his fathers eye and Helios turned his head away in an almost shameful manner, his father could always tell when something was bothering him or when he had done something wrong.

"Son do you want to tell me something?"

Helios shook his head,

"Helios, talk to me" Jeremiah continued reassuringly as he approached his son, "Did I do something wrong?"

Helios sighed and hung his head,

"No father" Helios replied sombrely, as he looked up into his fathers eyes, "There were desert riders out there father, th-they attacked a nomad and his family. He was trying desperately to protect them but all he had was a wooden staff, the riders had drew their swords..."

Helios paused and turned away from his father and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Did the riders kill them?"

"I stopped them father...I could not let those people die just to protect myself"

Helios replied with his back turned, expecting some form of anger from his father. Instead he felt his fathers hand on his shoulder.

"I'm proud of you son, it was a brave decision to help those people" Jeremiah informed his son, "Did any of them see you?"

"I don't know father" Helios continued, "the nomad perhaps, he had sand in his eyes...but I cannot say for sure"

"Helios you are quickly becoming a man and what you did today proves what a force for good you can be for this world" Jeremiah spoke with conviction and truth, "Your decisions will be your own and your mother and I will always be here for you, if the nomad one day arrives here looking for you...we will deal with that as a family"

A tear ran down Helios' face,

"Do not cry my son, you have performed a great deed here today and a family will be ever grateful for your actions" Jeremiah said to his son softly, getting down on one knee and wiping away the tear, "Go to your mother, tell her of your actions and see how proud you will make her"

Helios ran into their home, Jeremiah let out a heavy breath and stared into the distance with an uneasy feeling. Everything that he protected and loved could be under threat, he took a handful of sand and it ran easily from his hand. He clenched his fist in defiance, he would not let his family slip away so easily come that day...not without a fight.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Living in Fear**

Two further years had passed from the desert riders incident and Jeremiah remained ever vigilant in his duty to protect his son. The first months were the worst for Jeremiah, an ever present anticipation of King Ikranas' horse guard arriving to take his son but no one came. His son, Helios, did not worry of such things, they were now in his past and he continued to live his life as he had always done.

It was early morning, much earlier than his usual waking time as Jeremiah stood at the stone wall he had built around his land with his son, granted it took much less time when your son could lay thousands of the stones himself each day. He walked to a very precise point along the wall, bent down and moved a deep black marble stone, clearing away the dirt Jeremiah unearthed a wrapped cloth. Opening the cloth it revealed the crystal and metallic object he found in the heavenly object that delivered Helios to him. Jeremiah, running his fingers over the markings on the metallic object, looked to heavens deep in thought,

"Was it time to reveal the truth to his son?"

"That he was a child of the Gods..."

Jeremiah closed the cloth over, covered it in dirt once more and replaced the black marble stone. He was afraid, afraid that if he told Helios the truth that he would leave him and his wife in search of a destiny which they were not part of. Leaning against the wall Jeremiah looked out over the lands in front of him as the rising sun painted it different shades of green and sighed, how long would it be though until his son started asking those questions which he could not answer. His son had developed so much in the last two years it was even a struggle for he and his wife to fully understand what was happening to him. Now fourteen, his son could release fire from his eyes, generate winds with the simplest breath, see through the thickest walls and hear the smallest of creatures from miles away.

Could he, a mere mortal, continue to guide a boy with such abilities? Was love and understanding enough?

Jeremiah walked back to his home and entered his sons room, Helios was not in his bed as to be expected. Jeremiah searched each room and Helios was nowhere to be found, he sat at the wooden table in the main room, his mind running through the possibilities of where his son could possibly be. The door opened quietly and Helios slipped in not realising his father was sitting at the table.

"Helios where have you been?" Jeremiah asked forcefully

"Father!" replied a startled Helios, as he hid one arm behind his back

"Helios I may not be able to see through any object like you but I do know when someone is hiding something from me!" Jeremiah stated as he held out his hand,

Helios handed over a rolled up piece of cloth,

"What is this?" Jeremiah questioned his son, "Have you been stealing?"

"No"

Jeremiah unrolled the cloth which revealed nothing inside but the fears he had harboured for his son. Helios had cut holes in cloth for his eyes and ripped four stands at each point of the squarish piece of cloth so that he could tie it around his face, hiding it from those to whom it would be exposed.

"What have you been doing Helios?" Jeremiah asked, a slight tone of anger in his voice

"I've been going out...into the desert" Helios paused, as he hung his head, "I hear them father"

Jeremiah looked silently at his son,

"I hear them all calling for someone to help them" Helios continued as he looked up at his father with watery eyes, "I just couldn't ignore those calls, so I found a way to help those voices and to keep myself safe"

"Why didn't you tell your mother or myself what you were doing?" Jeremiah asked in desperation

"I-I don't know" Helios replied, "You are always telling me to be careful, to keep myself hidden but I just can't do that any more"

Helios' eyes locked with fathers and he stared deep into them with all the truth and moral fibre that his father had brought him up with,

"You told me once that I was fast becoming a man and you were right" Helios continued, "In the beginning when I first started hearing those voices, I tried to ignore them until I heard them no more...When those voices stopped, th-that was the worst feeling that I have experienced in my life"

"Son..." Jeremiah attempted to interrupt

"No father, you need to hear me" Jeremiah said strongly, "When those voices stopped I cried father, because I knew that I could have helped them...what use are these gifts if I can't help those who need it most"

"There are those out there Helios that would not understand the things you could do" Jeremiah warned his son, "There are men that would try to turn you into a weapon to use at their disposal, if...if ever someone saw the things you could do"

"Father they do see and at the same time they don't" Helios tried to reason with his father, as he took the cloth he gave to his father in his hand, "When I wear this I am no longer Helios your son, I become a protector of the sands...at the fortress they speak of the 'Spirit of the Sands' that protects the weak, I have become a story of hope to those who live in fear"

"Father, it is time for me to stop living in fear...I want to be more than a farmer"

Helios, young and impulsive, believed he had found the outlet to use his gifts for more than tending crops and his playful antics. Sounding more like a man everyday but still so much a boy struggling for his independence, fighting his parents will to do what he thought was right. Unbeknownst to him he had been creating more than a story of hope, he had been creating a legend amongst the people who travelled the desert. The man-child who appears out of thin air to rescue those in need, he was hope to the innocent and a fearful image to those who would do harm. They say he has the strength of ten men and moves like the wind, create sandstorms with his mighty breath and ignite the mightiest tree in flames with a simple look...some believed him to be the spirit of a murdered soul who arises to stop any further injustice on the sands.

Jeremiah sat quietly contemplating everything that his son had just revealed him, that he understood that his sons need to use his gifts for more than the trivial work that he had been doing all his life. Helios waited on his fathers reply but Jeremiah remained silent, feeling farther apart from his son than he had done in his sons entire life.

"You can't understand father" Helios sadly answered for his father, as he suddenly sped away

"Helios!" Jeremiah called as he ran to door looking for his son anywhere in the distance

He turned and saw his wife standing quietly staring at him with an understanding expression,

"Did you hear?" Jeremiah asked as his wife nodded in confirmation, "What are we to do?"

"Support him" Erin replied softly, her husband looking back puzzled, "He is no ordinary boy my love and we always suspected that he was sent here for great things and he is now beginning to explore those great things"

"I feel like we're beginning to lose him" Jeremiah sadly continued as his wife embraced him, "I'm not ready to let him go yet...we've had so little time"

----

The sun shone brightly through the open roof of the great hall which adorned King Ikranas' throne lighting it majestically, the King himself stood out on a semi-circular ledge at the end of the great hall which allowed him to look out over his fortress, which in truth was more a city in these times. A man joined him, pale and thin, his eyes surrounded with blackened circles and his teeth rotting.

"My King"

"Yes Plaethos"

"The stories of the so called 'Spirit of the Sands' continue and more people each week are speaking of their encounters" Plaethos replied in his raspy tone, "I believe this to be more than just the stories of a few crazed men"

King Ikranas sighed heavily as his eyes narrowed,

"Plaethos let the people have their stories"

"My King, it is no lie to tell you that you are not the most popular king and these stories spread hope among the people that there is someone out there who cares for them, who may one day come to your fortress and free them of you" Plaethos explained to his king,

King Ikranas gripped Plaethos' throat tightly and with gritted teeth replied angrily,

"If the people have hope we will give them none, inform the guard that anyone found to be speaking of this 'Spirit' is to be lashed ten times and each member of their family to receive twenty lashes"

King Ikranas released Plaethos from his grip, Plaethos backed away from the king

"And Plaethos, discover whether this 'Spirit' exists or is mere legend"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: In the Flesh**

A huge camp fire raged illuminating the surrounding desert area a deep orange, men wandered around drinking ale, having a riotous time and pestering the salve girls there to server their needs. There was an incredible main tent which housed the Lords and high ranking members of the various desert rider gangs for the nights festivities. Each table within the tent contained a lavish spread of food and the finest drink there was to offer, slave girls danced in the centre area of the tent entertaining the revered guests. There were many gangs the largest and most powerful of them being the 'Cythinians' who were ruled by Lord Zethernius, a powerfully built and ferocious man now reaching his mid years...he had a reputation of leaving no survivors. This mentality was passed on to each member of his gang and this was what made them the largest, most powerful and dangerous of the desert rider gangs.

"Quiet!" Lord Zethernius shouted slamming his fist onto the table, "There is business to discuss!"

"My fellow Lords, we all know why we are here" Zethernius continued, "This so-called 'Spirit of the Sands' continues to cost us many lucrative raids and there seems to be nothing we can do about it"

"Lord Zethernius, the spirit, it is no mere man!" a Lord replied standing, looking around to his compatriots, "It cannot be stopped by us mere mortals, it is impossible"

"From some of the things I have heard it is a mere boy in a mask!" Zethernius viciously snapped

A lowly ranked raider, who had been standing guard at the entrance of the tent, stepped forward,

"My Lord, I have encountered the spirit and yes he may have the build of a mere boy but he has powers that only the Gods themselves can bestow...he defeated a party of ten riders with what seemed like no effort, I must agree with the Lord, there is no man here who can stop it"

Zethernius' eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared, he let out a controlled breath hiding his anger from those around him,

"Come to me" he spoke in the direction of the raider, who walked towards him.

Zethernius in one movement grabbed the raider's throat and spun around behind him,

"You speak out of turn!" Zerthernius whispered nastily, as he ran his sword through the raider, "You shall not make that mistake again"

Releasing the raiders throat and tilting his sword forward, the raider's body slipped free of the now blood stained blade and fell to the ground. Zethernius looked around at his fellow Lords who sat in stunned silence, he crouched beside the dead body and used its clothing to wipe the blade of his sword clean. He truly was a ruthless man, almost devoid of any humane emotion,

"Now, does anybody else wish to speak out of turn?"

The tent remained silent,

"Good" Zethernius continued

A hooded black figure entered the tent and walked almost ghost like towards Zethernius, stopping short of the distance that would allow him to suffer a similar fate of the raider who had just felt the cold, sharp blade of Zethernius' sword,

"And who are you?"

The black figure pulled back his hood to reveal himself, Plaethos,

"My name is Plaethos, servant of King Ikranas"

"You are a little far from your Kings' fortress!" Zethernius quipped holding his arms out at his sides, much to the amusement of the other lords

"I come with an offer from King Ikranas!" Plaethos proclaimed

"We have no King!"

"Regardless of your feelings towards King Ikranas, I come with a generous offer as it seems we both have a similar problem" Plaethos continued, "The Spirit!"

Whispering could suddenly be heard as the Lords began talking amongst themselves wondering what Ikranas could possibly have against the spirit, it protects his people, his trading goods,

"Lord Zethernius should I continue or shall I take my offer to someone who may be more receptive?"

Zethernius sat back at his table and coldly stared at Plaethos,

"State your Kings offer"

"My king has instructed me to discover whether the spirit is myth or flesh and judging from what I have heard from outside this tent, it seems that he is indeed no mere myth" Plaethos raspily said aloud, looking into the eyes of the gathered Lords, "Therefore the offer is this, I require you attack a trade convoy which will pass through the Sepher dunes tomorrow...I will be part of this convoy and there will be nothing of substance for you to take, all I wish to do is draw the spirit out therefore no killing"

Plaethos opened opened his cloak and overturned two substantial bags filled with gold and jewels,

"This is only a fraction of what the King offers for your help in this matter" Plaethos stated, now staring back at Zethernius, "So my 'Lord', do you accept?"

Zethernius rose from his chair and walked down to Plaethos' position, Plaethos backed away. Zethernius picked up a handful of the gold and jewels and inspected it, his eyes moved back to Plaethos,

"We accept your Kings offer"

-----

Helios stood at the wall which surrounded his family's land, looking out into the distance, he and his father had not spoken in almost two days over their argument. He looked at the cloth which he had used to mask his identity so many times when helping those in need, was it worth all the trouble that it had caused between his father and himself. His head hung and he sighed a heavy breath, he wished that he had never received these supposed gifts, that he could be normal like everyone else. How he wanted to go to his father and promise that he would not go out into the desert again but he knew inside it was a promise that he could not keep.

Helios eyes suddenly widened, hearing screams off in the distance and the wild snorting and neighing of horses. It was a sound he had grown accustomed to hearing so often now from the desert sands, he quickly tied the cloth around his face adjusting it to his eyes and sped off into the desert. He stopped a fair distance away from where the attack was taking place, he could see men and women lying unconscious in the sand, their carts and wagons overturned, as the desert riders surrounded them, Helios' fists clenched and eyes narrowed. In an instant he was standing between the stricken men and women who had been travelling through the desert and the desert riders,

"I will give you the choice to leave now and leave this people alone or face the same fate that many of you have felt before" Helios strongly said aloud

The desert riders backed away slowly but unbeknownst to Helios a man now stood behind him, it was Plaethos, his arm stretched around Helios and ripped the cloth from his face. Helios span around and faced Plaethos' pale gaunt face,

"The 'Spirit of the Sands' in the flesh" Plaethos said with a sick smile on his face

Helios looked around confused unsure of what he should do, he knew he should run but his legs had frozen in fear at the knowledge his face had now been seen by many. His mouth was slightly opened in disbelief as the supposed people who were unconscious got to their feet,

"Leave us" Plaethos forcefully shouted to all those around him

The desert riders disappeared into the desert and the "trading convoy" went on its way leaving Helios with Plaethos,

"I come on the behalf of King Ikranas" Plaethos declared in his raspy voice, "Can you tell me who you are?"

Helios shook his head remaining silent,

"They tell great stories of you at the fortress, you are a hero to some people" Plaethos continued trying to gain the trust of Helios who remained silent, "My name is Plaethos, the King has sent me personally to find you and thank you for all that you have done for his people...surely you can tell me your name, the King wishes to recognize all the good you have done"

"Someone with your abilities could serve in the Royal Guard, help stop the desert riders permanently, would you like that?"

"I must return home" Helios replied,

"So you have a home then, what about parents?" Plaethos continued,

Helios remained silent, not trusting the dark figure who stood before him. His fathers warnings of those who would try to expose him and use him for their own gains, once again running through his thoughts. Plaethos' eye twitched with frustration as he grabbed Helios by the throat,

"Tell me your name boy!" Plaethos shouted angrily

Helios' eyes looked at Plaethos' hand wrapped around his neck, he gripped Plaethos' wrist and squeezed as Plaethos let out a yell of pain releasing his grip of Helios. Helios drew his hand back a short distance and thrust it into Plaethos' chest sending him crashing into a dune,

"My name is of no concern to you!" Helios declared looking strongly into Plaethos' eyes, before he disappeared speeding off

"We will find you boy!" Plaethos shouted getting to his knees, somehow knowing the "Spirit" could hear him, "We will find you!"


End file.
